October 2008 Blog Posts (30)

The biblical story of the Tower of Babel is fascinating to me, in part because I sense that the story is replaying itself as we speak. Here are several passages from chapter 11 of the Book of Genesis:

The whole earth was of one language and of common purpose…
…They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them in fire…”
…And they said, “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be… Continue

Two teenagers die.
Two families suffer.
What happens when two mothers refuse to be enemies?

Hear these messages of hope from two Jewish writers.
Dove by Sheila Yeger, professional playwright with more than 30 productions to her credit. You can listen to Dove by going to http://listeningindialogue.wordpress.com/dove-by-sheila-yeger/

Checkpoint by Lisa Saffron, facilitator of compassionate listening dialogue groups. More about the novel at… Continue

I find this kind of by c hance that there is an article about Ahmenidijad and his health due to exhaustion.
Last night, before I went to bed, I was thinking how stressful it must be to be a president of ANY country.
I felt kind of bad for them, since they always need to be up early, and they don't get to go to bed until late. I don't realize how lucky I am, since I can (on some mornings) sleep late, and (for now) I can take things easy.

October 2008 in Akka (Acre)
Course of Events
Updated 14 October 2008
"Co-existence is a catch-phrase. After all, Akka is a
city such as Ra'anana, Kfar Saba and Haifa, that must
maintain its Jewish identity. I don't think there is a
dispute. Akka is the Galilee capital, thousands of
years of Jewish history. We are here in order to
preserve the Jewish identity, fortify its spirit and to
withstand this national challenge."
Rabbi Yossi Stern, head… Continue

being a part of growth in ipeace what can all of us share in of this community" what is our goals and our hopes for the world. Every where we see problems we see the causes of which makes war.

what is the most we all can do. We have all the various things that contribute to war and what can we do for making peace. "Cause all of us suffers from the ills of today socialites that brings us the social problems.
what can we do to help people in our communities and what is the needs… Continue

One of the settlers pulled out a knife, pressed it to the neck of the company commander and said: ‘well, what will you do now, Nazi?’”

Attacks on Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians by West Bank settlers, like this one described by an Israeli reservist after the evacuation last month of the West Bank outpost Yad Yair, have nearly doubled in 2008 from 291 incidents in 2007 to 222 in the first half of 2008, according to a recent UN… Continue

I attended a debate recently. The issue: Is Islam a Religion of Peace, and is Shariah, or Islamic law, consistent with the U.S. Constitution? Arguing in the affirmative was Suhail, whom I would consider a moderate Muslim. Arguing in the negative was Frank, an American who considers Islam to be a threat to Western civilization. The following is an abridged version of the actual debate. See what you think.

Suhail: The U.S. Constitution protects us all from discrimination on the… Continue

if you are for a
better world, you must
tell everyone with urgency in your voice--
"I am for a better world!"
if you are for a
better world then you must behave
in a manner that says, "I am for a better world but
being so does not make me better than anyone,"
it merely makes me more aware of our
common denominators--
if you are for a better world
then you must act, with urgency, in a way… Continue

Hey!
So I Just read a BBC article about how Syria + Lebnon are finally comming to a truce, and will be establishing diplomatic relations for the first time in history.
This to me sounds great, and it makes me happy to know that there will be more peace and stability in the Middle East. So I wanted to wish all warm wishes and a great future to all of the Lebanese + Syrians out there! :)

I have been in Akko (the name I prefer and not acre) the last few days after the clashes began, in order to try helping in any field and ways possible to prevent more damage and deterioration in the Arab-jewish relationship. Also I called every one I know from akko to ask about the real situation which not always described accurately by the media.

And in order to offer any help. I was asked by many organizations to distribute their call for action to all my colleagues and e-mail… Continue

With a new technique based on the male or Y chromosome, biologists have traced the diaspora of Jewish populations from the dispersals that began in 586 B.C. to the modern communities of Europe and the Middle East.

The analysis provides genetic witness that these communities have, to a remarkable extent, retained their biological identity separate from… Continue

Whenever I hear an ambulance my heart goes down. Especially when I hear (or at least I think I hear – it may be echo sometimes) more that one ambulance. Immediately comes to my mind that there might have been a terror attack. Probably most of the times it’s an accident, or some other tragedy. Actually I think I have never heard an ambulance in its way to a terror attack scene, & still. Every time I hear a boom I think it’s a bomb. Or maybe a missile from the near by Kalkilia (I live in Kfar… Continue

On Yom Kippur eve, we are called to reflect on our year past, and look forward to being inscribed and signed for a year of peace and prosperity.
How have we done this past year? How have I done this past year? What is in store in the year ahead. These are the questions I invite us to… Continue